The top three candidates for FIFA’s 2023 World Footballer of the Year: Messi leads the way.
On December 14, 2023, FIFA’s official website announced the top three candidates for this year’s Best Player (World Footballer). Messi, Harland, and Mbappe were selected respectively. As the three best performers in world football this year, they will compete for the final winner.
Messi played for PSG in Ligue 1 in the first half of this year, won the Ligue 1 championship, was selected into the best team of Ligue 1, and more importantly, Messi became the history of the five major European leagues this year. The top scorer, having been in European football for more than 20 years, Messi scored 697 goals in one campaign, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo's 696 goals, and exclusively holds the honor of being the top scorer in the history of the five major leagues. In the second half of the year, he moved to the foreign major league team Inter Miami.
It is worth mentioning that Messi just won this year's Golden Globe Award not long ago. He has won 8 Golden Globe Awards for the first time in his career. This achievement is unprecedented and will be followed by others.
Messi’s personal information
Lionel Messi, full name Lionel Andres Messi Cuccitini (Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccitini, nicknamed Leo Messi, was born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Santa Fe Province, Argentina. He is an Argentine professional football player who serves as a forward and currently plays for Miami of the American Professional Football League. International Football Club, and also serves as team captain.
On the club side, Messi entered the La Masia youth training camp in 2000. In 2004, Messi signed a professional contract with Barcelona Football Club. In 2009, Messi helped Barcelona win six crowns and won the Ballon d'Or for the first time. In 2011, Messi helped Barcelona win the fifth crown. In 2012, Messi broke the football record for goals scored in a single natural year with 91 official game goals, and won the Ballon d'Or for the fourth consecutive year. In 2015, Messi once again helped Barcelona win five crowns and won the Ballon d'Or for the fifth time.
In 2019, Messi won the Golden Globe Award for the sixth time. In 2021, Messi freely joined Paris Saint-Germain Football Club and won the Ballon d'Or for the seventh time in the same year. In 2023, Messi joined Miami International Football Club and won the Ballon d'Or for the eighth time in the same year.
As for the national team, Messi helped the Argentina U20 youth team win the World Youth Championship in 2005. In 2008, Messi helped the Argentina Olympic team win the men's football gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. In 2014, Messi helped the Argentina national team win the World Cup runner-up and personally won the World Cup Golden Ball. In 2021, Messi helped the Argentine national team win the America's Cup. In 2022, Messi helped the Argentina national team win the World Cup and the European and American Cup, and he personally won the World Cup Golden Ball again.